Broncos put RJ Harvey on short-term IR, sidelining him at least four games

The Denver Broncos placed running back RJ Harvey on short-term injured reserve Saturday with the knee injury he suffered in practice Thursday. Adam Schefter of ESPN confirmed the move as official, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said Harvey will miss the next four games.

What is confirmed

Harvey is on IR, which means a minimum of four games on the sideline. The Broncos had already ruled him out on Friday for Sunday's 4:25 PM ET game against the Kansas City Chiefs after he was limited Thursday and missed Friday's practice.

What comes from the reporting

Rapoport's read is that Harvey can return as soon as the Broncos' game against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 6. That date assumes a clean recovery. Denver has not given a timeline, and a knee that went from limited to out to IR in three days deserves some caution.

What it means for the Denver backfield

Rookie Jonah Coleman and veteran J.K. Dobbins are the other running backs on the active roster. Denver beat writers expected the team to elevate Cody Schrader from the practice squad for Sunday, so check the 4 PM ET elevation list before you lock in a lineup.

The bigger question is the next month. A one-week absence lets a coach mix and match. Four weeks usually forces a plan, and the back who handles early downs against Kansas City is the one most likely to keep that job through November.

What RSO owners should do now

If you roster Harvey, move him to your IR slot if your league has one and free the bench spot. Do not sell him at a discount. A short-term IR stint for a second-year back is a lineup problem, not a contract problem, and his value should hold for the stretch run.

Coleman is the priority add or trade target if he is sitting on waivers or on a rebuilding roster. Dobbins makes sense as a cheap, short-term flex for contenders who need points now. Schrader is a deep-league stash only if he is elevated and gets real snaps.

What to watch next

Watch the snap and carry split between Coleman and Dobbins on Sunday against the Chiefs, then any practice-window news on Harvey in late November ahead of the Dec. 6 game against Miami.